Dispensing container



NOV. 26, 1968 MACAULAY 3,412,900

DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed June 20, 1966 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 INVENTOR. De/mar FMaeau/ay QG'ENT NOV. 26, 1968 MACAULAY 3,412,900

DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed June 20, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Oe/rn or E Macau/ay United States Patent 3,412,900 DISPENSING CONTAINER Delmar F. Macaulay, Midland, Mich, assignor to The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 20, 1966, Ser. No. 558,814 6 Claims. (Cl. 22282) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pressurized dispensing container is provided by injecting a liquid into an elastomeric rubber tube, stretching the tube and sealing. The dispensing pressure is provided solely by the stretched rubber tube.

This invention relates to an improved dispensing container, and more particularly relates to an improved pressurized dispensing container which is readily rechargeable.

Many pressurized dispensing containers are known in the art. Particularly popular and well known at the present time are the dispensing containers generally referred to as aerosol packages. Such aerosol packages contain a liquid material admixed with volatile propellant or a separate phase of volatile propellant which serves to force the contents of the container through a suitable dispensing valve which is generally manually operated. Beneficially, many materials may be dispensed Without the use of a gaseous propellant by employing an elastomeric container which oftentimes has the form of a generally cylindrical tubular body of a material such as gum rubber which is closed at one end by a dispensing valve and sealed by a suitable means at the opposite end such as by clamping or by preforrning a tube with only one open end. Generally, it is necessary that such pressurized containers be factory filled and when empty, the entire container is discarded. Such a practice is often a wasteful one as when the contents have been depleted the container itself is still in excellent mechanical condition but no facilities are at hand which conveniently permit refilling by the consumer.

It would be beneficial and advantageous if there were available a pressurized dispensing container which was readily refillable by the consumer.

It would be also advantageous if there were available an improved dispensing container which could be refilled without the necessary replacement of the valve and the rigid outer portion thereof.

Furthermore, it would be beneficial if there were a refillable pressurized dispensing container which could be refilled conveniently from prefilled packages or charges.

These benefits and other advantages in accordance with the present invenion are achieved in a pressurized dispensing container which comprises a rigid container adapted to be manually grasped; the rigid container defining at least one open end; means to secure a pressure dispensing valve to the rigid container; the valve being manually operable and providing selective communication between an internal surface of the rigid container and an external surface of the rigid container; a portion of the valve extending into an internal space within the container; the portion of the valve within the space terminating in a hollow, open-ended tubular member having a point thereon, the hollow tubular member being adapted to penetrate a resilient material; an inner container of a resilient elastomeric material; the inner container having a first end and a second end; a resilient plug being disposed Within the first end of the elastomeric container; the elastomeric container being distended by a fluid disposed therein to a diameter at least twice its diameter in 3,412,900 Patented Nov. 26, 1968 the relaxed state; the point of the tubular member of the dispensing valve penetrating the resilient plug of the elastomeric container and thereby providing communication by means of the manually operable dispensing valve between the interior of the elastomeric container and the exterior of the rigid container.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following speci fication when taken in connection with the drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 schematically illustrates an exploded view of one embodiment of the container.

FIGURE 2 is an exploded view of a second embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 3 is a view of one of the elements of the embodiment of FIGURE 2 taken along the line 33 thereof.

FIGURE 4 is a view of one of the elements of FIG- UR'E 2 taken along the line 44 thereof.

FIGURE 5 is a schematic representation of an elastomeric container for use in the practice of the present invention.

FIGURE 6 is a schematic sectional view of an elastomeric container in operative connection with the rigid outer container.

In FIGURE 1 there is schematically represented a pressurized dispensing container in accordance with the present invention generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The container 10 comprises in cooperative combination a rigid or outer container 11. The container 11 has an exterior wall 12, an upper end 13 and a lower end 14. The container 11 defines a space 16 disposed therein. The lower end 14 is closed while the upper end 13 defines an internally threaded opening 17 providing communication between the space 16 and the space external to the container 11. A sleeve 19 having a first end 20 and a second end 21 is adapted to be disposed within the cavity 16 of the container 11. The sleeve 19 defines a generally cylindrical internal space 23 which is axially disposed within the sleeve and beneficially is open on at least the first end 20 and optionally on the second end 21. The sleeve or guide means 19 fits smoothly within the cavity 16. A distended elastomeric container 25 adapted to be disposed within the sleeve 19 is shown adjacent the first end 20 of the sleeve 19. The elastomeric container 25 has a first end 26 and a second end 27. The second end 27 is closed. The first end 26"has disposed therein a resilient perforable plug 28. A support or locating collar 30 is in operative engagement with the distended elastomeric container 25 and adapted to engage the first end 20 of the sleeve 19 and to prevent significant lateral motion of the first end 26 of the elastomeric container 25 when the collar is disposed within the space 16 of the rigid or outer container 11. The container 25 has disposed therein and is distended by a fluid or liquid. A closure or valve support 33 is disposed adjacent the first end 26 of the distended elastomeric container 25. The closure 33 has an externally threaded peripheral portion 34 adapted to mate with the threads of the internally threaded cavity 17. A manually operable pressurized liquid dispensing valve 35 passes through the closure 33. The valve 35 has a valve operating means 36 which defines a discharge orifice 37. The discharge orifice 37 is located external to the cavity 16 of the body 11. The valve 35 has a valve body 38 passing through the closure 33. Dependent from the valve body 38 remote from the discharge opening 37 is a tubular inlet 39 having a terminal piercing point 41. The tube 39 defines an inlet passageway 42. The tube 39 is of sufiicient length that in the assembled configuration, the tubing pierces the plug 28 and provides communication between the interior of the distended elastomeric container 25 and the discharge opening 37 selectively by means of the valve actuating means 36.

In assembly of the dispensing container of FIGURE 1, the sleeve 19 is placed about the distended resilient container 25. The support or guide 30 engages the first end 20 of the sleeve 19. The sleeve and the container are passed into the opening 17 and into the cavity 16 with the first end 26 of the elastomeric container being disposed adjacent the internally threaded opening 17. The closure 33 is then placed on the container 11 in such a manner that the point 41 of the tube 39 engages the resilient plug 28 and the closure 33 threaded into the opening 17 at least until the opening 42 of the tube 39 penetrates the plug 28 to provide communication between the interior of the container 25 and the interior of the tube 39. Thus, by operation of the valve 35, the contents of the distended container are selectively dispensed. When the container 25 is empty, the closure 33 is removed, the empty container 25 discarded and a full, distended elastomeric container positioned within the sleeve and the closure 33 replaced.

In FIGURE 2 there is illustrated an exploded View of an alternate embodiment of the invention designated by the reference numeral 50. The embodiment comprises an outer or rigid container 51 having a first end 52 and a second end 53. The first end 52 is closed and supports a pressure dispensing valve 55 of generally similar configuration to the valve 35 of FIGURE 1. The valve 55 has a discharge opening 56 disposed externally to the container and an inlet tube 57 within the container 51 having a piercing point and inlet not shown. The container 51 defines an internal cavity 58. The second end 53 of the container 51 defines an internally threaded opening 59 adapted to provide communication between the cavity 58 and the exterior of the container 51. A distended elastomeric liquid filled contained 61 is disposed adjacent the opening 59. The container 51 has a resilient readily pierceable plug 62 disposed in a first end 63. The container 61 has a second or closed end 64. A sleeve 65 having a hollow cylindrical configuration is disposed about the container 61. The sleeve 65 is adapted to pass through the opening 59 and align the container 61 in such a manner that the tube 57 can pierce the resilient plug 62. An externally threaded plug or closure 67 is provided adjacent the sleeve 65 and adapted to mate with the internally threaded opening 59.

In FIGURE 3 there is depicted a bottom view of the sleeve 65 wherein a retracting means or finger grip 66 is disposed within the end of the sleeve 65 remote from the first end 63 of the container 61.

FIGURE 4 depicts a bottom view of the plug 67. The I plug 67 defines a recess 68 adapted to be disposed externally to the container 51. An extracting means or finger grip 69 is disposed within the recess 68.

The embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 2 differs from that shown in FIGURE 1 in that the resilient fluid filled pressurized container 61 is inserted within the sleeve or guide tube 65 from the bot-tom and the valve 55 is rigidly affixed to the upper end of the rigid container 51. The rigid containers 11 and 51 have configurations which are esthetically appealing, and for the particular configurations shown, it is beneficial to employ a guide or locating sleeve such as the sleeves 19 and 65. However, if the desired external and internal configuration of the outer or rigid container provides the desired guiding action such as in the case of a cylindrical outer container, the locating collar such as the support means 30 and the sleeves 19 and 65 may be omitted.

In FIGURE 5 there is schematically illustrated a sectional view of an elastometric container suitable for the practice of the present invention generally designated by the reference numeral 75. The container comprises a resilient elastomeric tubular body 76 defining an internal cavity 77. The body 76 has a first end 78 and a second end 79. A resilient perforable plug 81 is disposed within the first end 78. The plug 81 comprises a body portion 82 of a generally cylindrical configuration. The body 82 defines an external annular groove 83 and a perforable centered membrane 85 generally centrally disposed within the body 82. The plug 81 is maintained in sealing engagement with the first end 78 of the container 75 by means of an external tension member or band 87 adapted to deform the resilient body 76 into sealing engagement with the annular groove 83. Within the second end 79 of the body 76 is disposed a plug or closure 88 of generally cylindrical configuration and having an annular groove 89. The closure 88 is maintained in position by an external tension member 91. A liquid 92 is disposed within the distended body 76 of the container 75.

In FIGURE 6 there is depicted a schematic fractional sectional view of a dispensing container in accordance with the present invention generally designated by the reference numeral 100. The dispensing container comprises an external rigid body 101 defining an internal cavity 102. The body 101 has disposed therein a valve assembly 103 having an operating and discharge means 104, an internal inlet and perforating tube 105. The tube 105 terminates remote from the valve body in an inlet opening 106. A perforable sealing plug 107 generally equivalent to the plug 81 of FIGURE 5 is disposed about the tube 105 and a resilient distensible elastomeric container 108 surrounds the plug 107 and is maintained in sealing engagement by means of the external tension member 109. A guide disc 110 afiixed to the container 108 in the region of the external tension member 109 serves to positively locate the perforable plug 107 within the cavity 102. The guide sleeve 111 is shown in engagement with the locating means 110.

Containers in accordance with the present invention are readily fabricated from a wide variety of conventional materials. Beneficially, the rigid outer container may be fabricated from plastics of the rigid or semi-rigid variety, metals, paper, or soft deformable plastics, if desired. The inner or distensible container beneficially may be prepared from almost any elastomeric material which on distension provides a compressive force on the liquid material container thereon of at least about 10 pounds and beneficially up to about 50 pounds per square inch gauge. Such pressures are generally satisfactory for dispensing liquid or viscous materials through known pressure dispensing valves. The distensible pressure dispensing container may be formed from any of the well known distensible ela-stomeric materials such as gum rubber, butyl rubber and the like. Sealing of the terminal portions of the body is accomplished by the use of wire clamps, crimped rings, hinge clamps, rubber 0 rings and other devices well known in the art.

Beneficially, if the material to be packaged is detrimental to the elastomeric deformable material forming the distensible body, a layer of a more chemically resistant material is beneficially provided on the interior surface of the container. The layer may comprise an extensible neoprene rubber either in cured or partially cured form or a thin layer of an unoriented thermoplastic material which is readily stretched, such as polytrifiuoroethylene, amphoteric copolymers of vinylidene chloride, vinyl chloride and the like. Such lined bodies are beneficially prepared by the extrusion of a thin layer of the desired material within thedistended body employing a moving mandrel such as is done in wire coating. The preparation of multiple layer tubes by extrusion is well known in the art and need not be further discussed.

Alternately, a chemically resistant liner in the form of a thin film may be positioned within a tube such as a vulcanized gum rubber tube by providing a plurality of longitudinal folds in the liner tube and in accordion fashion positioning the tube within the distensible tube, sub-,

cause them to fuse into a smooth configuration adaptable to receive a plug or other sealing means. Such a liner provides only the function of chemical resistance and barrier properties, and may be very thin and flexible having a wall thickness in a range from about one half to 5 mils, and beneficially in a range from about 1 to 3 mils. The perforable sealing plug beneficially may be fabricated from elastomeric or readily deformable thermoplastic materials which are chemically resistant to the material being fabricated or alternately a suitable liner such as a thin film may be provided on the inner surface of the plug. The deformable plug which can be pierced by the hypodermic needle is well known in the art and is eminently satisfactory when available in the desired size.

Employing the container of the present invention, refilling is readily accomplished by disassembly and replacement of the empty distensible container. Containers in accordance with the present invention are readily refilled many times without undue sign of wear.

As is apparent from the foregoing specification, the present invention is susceptible of being embodied with various alterations and modifications which may differ particularly from those that have been described in the preceding specification and description. For this reason, it is to be fully understood that all of the foregoing is intended to be merely illustrative and is not to be construed or interpreted as being restrictive or otherwise limiting of the present invention, excepting as it is set forth and defined in he hereto-appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pressurized dispensing container which comprises a rigid container adapted to be manually grasped, the

rigid container defining at least one open end, means to secure a pressure dispensing valve to the rigid container, the valve being manually operable, and providing selective communication between an internal surface of the rigid container and an external surface of the rigid container, a portion of the valve extending into an internal space within the container, a portion of the valve within the space terminating in a hollow tubular member, the hollow tubular member provided with a point adapted to penetrate a resilient material,

an inner container of a resilient elastomeric material,

the inner container having a first end and a second end,

a resilient plug being disposed within the first end of the elastomeric container, the elastomeric container being distended by a fluid disposed therein to a diameter at least twice its diameter in the relaxed state, the point of the dispensing valve penetrating the resilient plug of the elastomeric container and thereby providing communication by means of the manually operable dispensing valve between the interior of the clastomen'c container and the exterior of the rigid container.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein the dispensing valve is affixed to a closure for the open end of the rigid container.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein a locating collar is disposed adjacent the first end of the elastomeric container, the locating collar engaging the internal surface of the rigid container.

4. The container of claim 1 wherein the pressure dispensing valve is atfixed remote from the open end of the rigid container.

5. The container of claim 1 wherein the rigid container has a circular cross-sectional configuration narrowing between the first and second ends and the resilient container is disposed within a cylindrical body within the rigid container.

6. The container of claim 5 wherein a guide disc is disposed about the first end of the resilient container and is in engagement with the cylindrical container and the rigid container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,966,282 12/1960 Geisler 222107 X 3,017,883 1/1962 Dickinson 222 X 3,134,505 5/1964 Modderno 22283 X 3,240,392 3/1966 Nicko 22282 FOREIGN PATENTS 295,252 3/ 1954 Switzerland.

0 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

F. R. HANDREN, Assistant Examiner. 

